Exercise devices with force sensors

ABSTRACT

An exemplary exercise device includes a handheld force sensor with complementary male and female connectors extending from opposite sides thereof. The force sensor senses pulling and/or pushing forces exerted between the opposing sides. The male connector may be resistant to travel through the female connector except in limited orientations. The connectors allow the exercise device to interface with any mobile or immobile device having complementary connectors. Non-complementary connectors can connect with the exercise device through a body passage. Depending on devices interfaced with the exercise device, force readings can be taken during a vast variety of motions using different muscle groups during training, exercise, and rehabilitation/physical therapy in homes, schools, healthcare facilities, health clubs, etc. Force readings from the force sensor may be communicated via wired and/or wireless technologies to other devices for live (real-time) processing and display as well as additional historical analysis and reporting.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 USC §119(e) to U.S.Provisional Patent Application 61/248,227 filed Oct. 2, 2009, under 35USC §365 to Application No. PCT/US10/51123 filed Oct. 1, 2010, and under35 USC §120 to U.S. application Ser. No. 13/498,012 filed Mar. 23, 2012,the entirety of which are incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This document concerns an invention relating generally to exercisedevices, and more specifically to exercise devices having force sensorsfor measuring, recording, and/or providing feedback regarding a user'sactivity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Force sensors are sometimes incorporated into exercise devices formonitoring user activity, e.g., the amount of force applied, theduration of exercise, etc. The force sensors can allow a user (orothers, e.g., trainers or physical therapists) to quantify, record, andanalyze the user's activity with greater ease and certainty. Forexample, a sensor might precisely measure and record the amount ofweight lifted during one exercise session, as well as the number oftimes it was lifted, the time over which it was lifted, etc., and therecorded data can then be compared to the results of a later exercisesession to determine the user's progress.

Often, the force sensors are built directly into the structures of theexercise devices. (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,271,416; 6,612,170;7,510,509; and U.S. Patent Publication 2008/0242509.) In this case, theforce sensing functionality suffers from many drawbacks present in theexercise devices themselves. In particular, if the device is dedicatedto the performance of only a single particular type of exercise, or afew types of exercises, the user's activity—which will often involveother types of exercise, and thus other exercise devices, as well—maynot be fully captured by the force sensor. While a user might have anumber of different exercise devices, each bearing its own force sensorfor monitoring activities on its particular device, such an arrangementleads to greater expense, and to difficulties with collecting andorganizing data from the various devices.

Some sensors are designed to be retrofit into preexisting exercisedevices, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,486 and U.S. PatentPublication 2008/0119763. These devices suffer from the drawback thatthey are not easily installed in preexisting exercise devices, andmoreover tend to be installable in only a limited number and type ofexercise device. They also tend to add bulk, restrict range of motion,or otherwise detract from the utility of the exercise devices.

It would therefore be useful to have available inexpensive exercisedevices which are capable of accommodating a wide variety of differentexercises, and which allow rapid and convenient installation and removalof force sensors for monitoring user activity, wherein the force sensors(when installed) do not interfere with the functionality and usage ofthe exercise devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary version of the exercise deviceincludes a sensor body 100 having one or more force sensors therein (asseen at 102 in FIG. 3) or thereon, with means for connecting the sensorbody 100 to other items—here illustrated as complementary male andfemale connectors 104 and 106 (best seen in FIG. 2)—situated on oppositesides of the sensor body 100. The force sensor(s) 102 sense pullingand/or pushing forces exerted between the two connectors 104 and 106,and communicates the measured forces to “client” devices via wirelesscommunications (e.g., radio frequency or infrared) or wiredinterconnects (e.g., Universal Serial Bus interconnects) for recording,display, and/or processing. The connectors 104 and 106 allow the sensorbody 100 to interface with other components havingcomplementarily-shaped connectors, such as the elastic member 10 (whichis shown having a member length 12 terminating in a member maleconnector 14, an arrangement which is often formed by inserting a plugwithin an end of an elastic tube) and the grasping loop/handle 1000(which is shown with a loop female connector/socket 1106 which isconfigured to complementarily receive the member male connector 14).Looking to FIG. 1, if the elastic member 10 extends to an anchor (suchas a wall or floor), and a user grips the grasping loop 1000 and pullson it to extend the elastic member 10, the force sensor(s) 102 betweenthe grasping loop 1000 and the elastic member 10 detect the forceexerted along the elastic member 10 between the grasping loop 1000 andthe anchor. Since a wide variety of different forms of elastic members10 are available, as well as components configured to easily connect anddisconnect to such elastic members 10 (such as grasping loops 1000,bars, harnesses, etc.), the sensor body 100 can be inserted betweenselected elastic members 10 and components to measure the forcesgenerated by users during exercise. Since the sensor body 100 can bereadily installed and removed between many different combinations ofelastic members 10 and components, a single sensor body 100 used as astandalone device (used, for example, alternatively between two or morelimbs)—or two or more sensor bodies 100, one for each limb and/or otherparts of the body—can be used across all (or most) of the exerciseswithin a user's routine to capture characteristics of the user'sactivity. This greatly simplifies issues with data capture andcalibration, since one need not compile data collected from numeroussensors having different calibration points. Further, since the sensorbody 100 is easily retrofit into existing elastic member exercisedevices, a user can incorporate one or more sensor bodies into his/herequipment to add force-monitoring capabilities, and can easily removethe sensor bodies if and when desired. In addition, the cost offorce-monitoring exercise equipment is greatly reduced, particularlywhen the low cost of elastic member exercise devices is taken intoaccount.

Referring to FIG. 2, the male connector 104 can take the form of a neck108 extending from the sensor body 100 along a neck axis, with the neck108 terminating in a male plug 110 having a configuration resemblingthat of the member male connector 14. As a result, the male plug 110 canbe removably and replaceably inserted within the loop female connector1106 of the grasping loop 1000 in the same manner as the member maleconnector 14. The female connector 106 can take the form of a socketbody 112 having a socket passage 114 configured similarly to the loopfemale connector 1106 of the grasping loop 1000, and can thereforeremovably and replaceably receive the member male connector 14 incomplementary fashion (or the male plug 110, though the male plug 110 isnot ordinarily inserted within the female connector 106 during normaluse). Thus, the sensor body 100 is readily installable between theelastic member 10 and the grasping loop 1000, or between any othercomponents having complementary connections (again, with examples beingnoted in the patents referenced in this document).

To review the female connector 106 of FIG. 2 in greater detail, thesocket body 112 includes a pair of opposing socket body sides 116 spacedby a body passage 118 extending between opposite sides of the sensorbody 100. The body passage 118 may be oriented along an axis which isperpendicular to the axis of the neck 108, and also perpendicular to thelength of the socket passage 114 (which is preferably parallel with theaxis of the neck 108). The socket passage 114 extends between an innersocket passage end 120 opening onto the body passage 118, and anopposing outer socket passage end 122. The socket body 112 has a slot124 opening onto the socket passage 114, with the slot 124 extendingalong the length of the socket passage 114 from the outer socket passageend 122 to the inner socket passage end 120 (the socket passage 114preferably has an enlarged inner diameter which effectively defines apocket for receiving the member male connector 14). The slot 124 ispreferably sized such that male connectors 104, such as the member maleconnector 14 of the elastic member 10, cannot pass through the slot 124.An elastic member 10 bearing a member male connector 14 can then beeasily installed into the socket passage 114 by situating the membermale connector 14 in the body passage 118, and then pulling the lengthof the elastic member 10 along the slot 124 (while holding the membermale connector 14 within the body passage 118), such that the memberlength 12 (whose diameter decreases with elongation) can fit through theslot 124 and into the socket passage 114. The member male connector 14can then be released to fit within the socket passage 114 or adjacent tothe inner socket passage end 120, with the length of the elastic member10 extending from the outer socket passage end 122 (as seen in FIG. 1).

To review the male connector 104 of FIG. 2 in greater detail, the neck108 is preferably flexible such that it will not contain any appreciablemoment/bending forces during usage (e.g., if the grasping loop 1000 isrocked about the axis of the neck 108 in FIG. 1), which could distortthe force measurements generated by the force sensor(s) 102. In similarrespects, the plug 110 and/or neck 108 are preferably rotatable withrespect to the sensor body 100, such that the neck 108 will not containany appreciable torsional forces (e.g., if the grasping loop 1000 isrotated about the axis of the neck 108 in FIG. 1). The plug 110 mayinclude structure which assists in firmly engaging it within a femaleconnector, e.g., in the loop female connector 1106 of the grasping loop1000. As an example, FIG. 2 depicts the plug 110 with a protrudinglongitudinal flange 126 having a length oriented parallel to the neckaxis, with the longitudinal flange 126 deterring rotation of the plug110 within the loop female connector 1106. A protruding lateral flange128 then has a length oriented perpendicularly to the neck axis (and tothe longitudinal flange 126) to resist slippage of the plug 110 throughthe passage of the female connector 1106.

Keeping in mind that the foregoing discussion merely summarizes featuresof one exemplary preferred version of the invention, further details,variations, and advantages will be apparent from the remainder of thisdocument in conjunction with the associated drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary exercise device featuring a sensor body 100connected to a grasping loop (handle) 1000 and elastic member 10.

FIG. 2 shows the exercise device of FIG. 1 with the grasping loop 1000and elastic member 10 disconnected from the sensor body 100, and withalternative components 2000, 3000, 4130, and 5130 that can be engagedwith the male and female connectors 104 and 106 of the sensor body 100.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the sensor body 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 schematically depicts the components and operation of the sensorbody 100 of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 provides a more detailed view of the female connector section4130 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED VERSIONS OF THE INVENTION

Expanding on the discussion above, FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded(disassembled) view of the sensor body 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The sensorbody 100 includes a female connector section 130 having bars 132extending upwardly from the socket body sides 116, with the ends of thebars 132 being sandwiched and pinned between the depicted halves 134Aand 134B of a male connector section. These bars 132 each can bear aforce sensor (a load cell) 102, such that tension (or compression)between the male connector section 134A/134B and the female connectorsection 130—and thus on the bars 132 and the force sensors 102thereon—results in a measurable signal representative of the forcebetween the male and female connectors 104 and 106 of the sensor body100.

The plug 110 and neck 108 of the male connector 104 are then shown inFIG. 3 between the halves 134A and 134B of the male connector section134. The neck 108 is formed of a cable 136 terminating in crimped-onbosses 138 and 140, with the portion of the cable 136 extending betweenthe male connector section 134A/134B and the plug 110 being sheathed ina flexible sleeve 142 to define the portion of the neck 108 extendingfrom the sensor body 100 to the plug 110. One boss 138 serves to retainthe plug 110 on the cable 136, and the other boss 140 serves to retain awasher-like retention ring 144 next to the end of the cable 136 situatedwithin the male connector section 134A/134B. When the retention ring 144is installed within and between the halves 134A and 134B of the maleconnector section, the plug 110 and neck 108 are firmly mounted on thesensor body 100. It is noted that while boss 140 and retention ring 144help prevents the cable 136 of the neck 108 from being pulled out of themale connector section 134, cable 136 and/or neck 108 are preferablynonetheless rotatable with respect to the sensor body 100.

Other components depicted in FIG. 3 include a circuit board 156 whichcommunicates with the force sensors 102, a power supply (battery) 158which supplies power to the force sensors 102 and circuit board 156, apower button 160 for turning the aforementioned components on and off,and (optional) output devices (such as speaker 162, which rests belowthe circuit board 156 to emit sound through a grille 164 opening ontothe body passage 118, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or other sources oflight, vibrator(s), etc.). The power button 160 may also be providedwith one or more LEDs configured to indicate status or other informationto the user. For example, a tricolored (RGB) LED may emit blue lightwhen the force sensors 102 are powered on and attempting to establish aconnection with a client device, green light when a connection has beenestablished, and red light if no connection is made after a certainperiod of time (or if the connection is lost after it is made).Fasteners 166 are provided for fixing the halves 134A and 134B of themale connector section together. Components of the circuit board 156 arethen illustrated schematically in FIG. 4 (and are discussed in greaterdetail below), and include an analog to digital converter (A/Dconverter), a power sensor, a processor (CPU), and a communicationsmodule in connection with a wireless transmitter and a wired port. FIG.3 does not depict these components, but the half 134A of the maleconnector section includes an aperture 168 in which the wired port issituated (the wired port preferably taking the form of a UniversalSerial Bus connector or other connector allowing communication by wirewith an external device).

Turning then to FIG. 4, the foregoing components cooperate as follows.The force sensors 102 of FIG. 3 (merely depicted as “force sensor” 102in FIG. 4) are supplied with an input voltage from the power supply 158,and generate an output voltage dependent on the input voltage and on anyforce exerted on the connection means (e.g., the male and femaleconnectors 104 and 106). The output voltage is supplied to the analog todigital converter (A/D converter), which converts the output voltageinto digital form and supplies it to the processor (CPU). The processor(CPU) also receives a calibration voltage signal from a power sensor incommunication with the power supply 158. This calibration voltage signalallows the processor (CPU) to determine the concurrent input voltage tothe force sensor 102, such that if the voltage of the power supply 158decreases over time, the CPU can properly scale the output voltageprovided by the force sensor 102 (and the A/D converter). The CPUconverts the output voltage from the force sensor 102 into a forcemeasurement, and may also perform additional processing steps, e.g.,breaking the force readings into time-stamped packets, manipulating theforce readings (e.g., integrating them over time to obtain powermeasurements), storing a history of force readings onto an on-boardmemory (not shown in FIG. 4) and performing analyses on recordedreadings (related to, for example, progress over time), etc. Theresulting data is then provided from the CPU to the communicationsmodule, which translates the data into a transmittable signal forcommunication to a “client” device via a wireless transmitter and/or viaa wired port (with details of these devices being discussed below).

The client device illustrated in FIG. 4 may take the form of one or moreof a variety of devices which are capable of storing, displaying, and/ortransmitting the data from the sensor body 100, including personalcomputers, mobile devices (such as mobile telephones like IPHONEmanufactured by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., USA, personal digitalassistants, handheld computers like IPAD manufactured by Apple Inc., andmultimedia devices like IPOD manufactured by Apple Inc.), and gameconsoles (such as a PLAYSTATION console manufactured by the SonyCorporation of Tokyo, Japan, a NINTENDO console manufactured by NintendoCo., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, or an XBOX console manufactured by theMicrosoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., USA). These are merelypreferred client devices, and a wide variety of other clients are alsopossible, e.g., various types of monitors/displays (such asdigitally-enabled televisions), web-based applications (accessible vianet-enabled devices), wearable devices (such as sport watches and anklebracelets), etc. The ability to supply data to mobile telephones andother mobile devices is particularly useful since this allows a user toreadily store and transport both a data capture device (i.e., the sensorbody 100) and a data review device (i.e., the mobile device and itsassociated visual and/or audio output components). In this respect, itis notable that the sensor body 100 might transmit exercise data to aweb application, and the user might then be able to direct the browserof his/her mobile device to the web application, or call in to the webapplication, to obtain a visual and/or audio presentation of the data.

The client device may then perform data recordation, audiovisualfeedback, and other functionality, such as displaying live (real-time)force values in graphical form; tracking progress of the user andhis/her exercise routine; indicating milestone force values usingaudiovisual cues; providing long-term data storage; reporting real-timeand historical (or cumulative) data trends, calculations, and analyses;instructing users on proper exercise techniques and recommended exerciseroutines; providing a user interface allowing for the specification andadjustment of workout parameters, alarms, routines, etc.; andcorrelating data from the sensor body 100 with data from other devices,e.g., heart monitors or other physiological sensors. It is possible tochange the configuration of the sensor body 100 to perform some or allof these functions as well, e.g., by incorporating input and outputdevices (see, e.g., FIG. 4) into the sensor body 100 (such as inputbuttons/scroll wheels, an LCD display screen, a bank of LED lights,etc.), but it is preferred to restrict the functionality of the sensorbody 100 to (primarily) the collection of force data, with most otherfunctions being moved to a separate client device. This arrangementreduces the cost, complexity, and fragility of the sensor body 100, andalso allows for easier upgrades in functionality because the clientdevice might be reprogrammed or replaced as needed to provide desiredfunctionality.

Where audiovisual feedback of force measurements (or other information)is provided, it can be supplied by, for example, the aforementionedspeaker 162 of FIG. 3, LEDs or other sources of light, and/or LCDdisplays, as well as (or instead of) by a client device. Mostpreferably, the processor (CPU) of FIG. 4 is configured such that it canprovide output via one or more output devices (such as the speaker 162outputting sounds and/or voices, light sources, vibrators, etc.) incircumstances where no client device is available via wireless or wiredcommunications and the sensor body 100 is made usable by itself as astandalone device. In this case, various audio messages can beassociated with different information or events, with (for example) afirst sound indicating that the measured force has met or exceeded atarget force level, or a maximum force limit; a second sound signallingthe time for which a pose or a motion should be sustained (“hold time”);a third sound if the measured force falls below the relaxation force fora given repetition; a fourth sound indicating the completion of anexercise, or the completion of an entire workout routine, or theattainment of a workout milestone (for example, total calories burned,total work done, etc.); and so forth. Audio cues in user-selectedlanguages (as well as visual and/or tactile cues using various outputdevices) can provide instructions on (for example) how to performvarious exercises, to move in various directions, or to use differentmuscles. Sound can also be used to provide rhythmic output, like that ofa metronome, to assist with user timing of actions. Usefully, audiofeedback permits a user to obtain feedback without needing to face andview a display.

Regarding the aforementioned possibility of using the sensor body 100where no client device is available, it can be useful for the sensorbody 100 to include sufficient onboard memory that it can store theresults of at least one of the user's exercise sessions for laterdownloading/transmission. In this respect, if a removable memory isdesired, the location of the wired port might be changed (if necessary)from that shown at 168 in FIG. 3 to, for example, the body passage 118,so that a removable memory device might be more securely affixed to thesensor body 100 in a non-protruding and relatively sheltered location.In similar respects, a removable display or the like (e.g., a small LCDdisplay) might be installed on the sensor body 100 via a wired portsituated at an appropriate location (though it is preferred that thesensor body 100 omit such components for the sake of durability,compactness, and being light weight).

Turning back to FIGS. 1 and 2, it should be understood that the sensorbody 100 may be interposed between a wide variety of components otherthan the grasping loop 1000 and the elastic member 10. FIG. 2illustrates a variety of components which can be attached to the maleconnector 104 in lieu of the rigid grasping loop 1000. A flexiblebelt-like grasping loop 2000 suitable for attachment about a wrist orankle is shown connected to a female connector 2106 for receiving anelastic member 10, or for receiving the plug 110 of the male connector104. Grasping loops can assume forms other than those provided by thegrasping loops 1000 and 2000, and can include any rigid and/or flexibleloop which is able to engage, or be engaged by, a part of the user'sbody, such as a handle loop which can be grasped by the user's hand, astirrup that can be engaged by a user's foot, or a loop which can beengaged about a user's wrist, ankle, waist, head, neck, torso, etc. FIG.2 also illustrates a female connector 3106 having three socket passages3114, any one or more of which can receive an elastic member 10 or theplug 110, and it carries a strap 3000 bearing a carabiner 3170 (forattachment to a user's belt, to a suspended bar, a ring anchored to awall or floor, etc.). Other components for attachment to the maleconnector 104 are also possible, including simply a structure whichbears a female socket configured to complementarily receive the maleplug 110, and which is anchored to a floor, wall, or other surroundings.The attachment of the foregoing and other components to the sensor body100 can occur at the female connector 106 instead of (or in addition to)at the male connector 104, as by providing the components 1000, 2000,and 3000 with male plugs similar to plug 110 rather than femaleconnectors, and engaging them within the socket passage 114 of thefemale connector 106.

FIG. 2 also illustrates a possible arrangement wherein a variety offemale connector sections 130, 4130, and 5130 are provided, each havinga different form of connection means for attachment to elastic members10/20/30 or other structures. The female connector sections 130, 4130,and 5130 may be interchangeably installable and removable on the maleconnector section 134, such as by using latches 4174 as discussed belowfor female connector section 4130. Initially refer to the femaleconnector section 4130, which is illustrated in greater detail in FIG.5. This female connector section 4130 is configured generally similarlyto the female connector section 130 shown in FIGS. 1-3, but contemplatesthat the force sensor-bearing bars 132 seen in FIG. 3 protrude from themale connector section 134 rather than the female connector section 4130to be received and pinned (or otherwise engaged) within the femaleconnector section 4130. The female connector section 4130 bears slots4172 for receiving the bars 132, and latches 4174 are pivotallyconnected to the female connector section 4130 near the slots 4172. Thelatches 4174 can be urged from the disengaged position shown in FIG. 5to an engaged position (not shown) wherein pins or other structure (notshown) provided on or in connection with the latches 4174 engage thebars 132 to fix the male connector section 134 to the female connectorsection 4130. The female connector section 4130 also differs from thefemale connector section 130 in that it has a bearing member 4176pivotally affixed at hinges 4178 such that it may move between a bearingposition situated along the path of the socket passage 4114, and anon-bearing position situated outside (or to a lesser extent within) thepath of the socket passage 4114. In the bearing position, the bearingmember 4176 is able to bear against any elastic member 20 extendingthrough the socket passage 4114, and the bearing member 4176 ispivotally mounted with respect to the female connector section 4130 suchthat any attempt to withdraw the elastic member 20 from the socketpassage 4114 (i.e., downwardly in FIG. 5) will tend to pull the bearingmember 4176 into the socket passage 4114, thereby more tightly bearingagainst the elastic member 20. This arrangement is useful when theelastic member 20 lacks a member male connector (as shown in FIG. 5), orwhen one wishes to adjust the length of the elastic member 20 extendingthrough the socket passage 4114, since the elastic member 20 may beextended through the socket passage 4114 to a desired extent, and thebearing member 4176 may then be urged against the elastic member 20 tofix it within the socket passage 4114. When desired, the bearing member4176 may be moved to the non-bearing position to disengage the elasticmember 20 to allow the elastic member 20 to freely travel through thesocket passage 4114.

FIG. 2 also illustrates a female connector section 5130 which resemblesthe female connector section 4130 of FIG. 5, except it bears a femaleconnector 5106 resembling the female connector 3106 shown at the upperright-hand side of FIG. 2, with three socket passages 5114 that allowinstallation of one to three elastic members 30.

Preferred versions of the invention have been reviewed in the foregoingdiscussion to illustrate different possible features of the inventionand the varying ways in which these features may be combined. Apart fromcombining the different features of the foregoing versions in varyingways, other modifications are also considered to be within the scope ofthe invention. Following is an exemplary list of such modifications.

Initially, it must be kept in mind that the exercise devices and sensorbody 100 shown in the accompanying drawings and discussed above aremerely exemplary, and may assume a wide variety of configurationsdifferent from those noted, and may use components different from thosenoted. Regarding components, the force sensor 102 may take the form ofsingle or multiple sensors, and need not take the form of a load cell.As examples, piezoelectric sensors, accelerometers, linear variabledifferential transformers (LVDTs), or any multi-axis sensors capable ofmeasuring quantities such as torque, bending, stretching, pressure, etc.where desired, and/or other sensors may be used instead of or inaddition to load cells. The wireless transmitter can take the form of aradio frequency transmitter (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, ANT, ANT+, ZigBee,etc.), an optical transmitter (e.g., an infrared transmitter), anultrasonic transmitter, or the like. The wired port can take the form ofan Ethernet port, a serial port, a parallel port, an IEEE 1394 interface(a “FireWire” port), or any other known connector suitable for allowingwired transmission of data.

The power supply 158, while preferably taking the form of a rechargeablebattery (which might be charged via the wired port or anotherconnector), could instead be a replaceable battery, or might even beomitted in lieu of power supply via a wired connection (again via thewired port or another connector). The device may also be partly orentirely powered by converting pulling and/or pushing forces into energythat can power its components. That is, the energy expended while usingthe device could be harvested, such that kinetic energy is transducedinto electrical and/or chemical energy that can be used to power itsvarious parts and/or otherwise stored for later use (such as byrecharging a battery). This can be accomplished by any suitable meansavailable, such as by incorporating piezoelectric crystals that generatevoltage when mechanically deformed, or through the movement of magnetsin an electromagnetic generator (caused by movements of the device)providing a rate of change of magnetic flux and inducing anelectromagnetic field (EMF) on the coils.

As noted previously, the female connector section 5130 of FIG. 2 may beused if it is desirable to attach one or more male members to the sensorbody 100. In similar respects, the male connector section 134 might bearmore than one male connector 104, e.g., more than one neck 108 and plug110. It is also possible that different sides of the sensor body 100 canbear different combinations of one or more male and/or female connectors104 and 106. As an example, the sensor body 100 might bear a maleconnector 104 extending along one axis, and multiple female connectors106 spaced from the male connector 104 about the sensor body 100 (andthe connectors 104/106 need not be situated along a common plane).

The male connector 104 need not take the form of a flexible neck 108,and the neck 108 could be rigid instead. Such an arrangement is usefulin situations where the sensor body 100 might be used to monitor forcessubjecting the sensor body 100 to compression rather than tension. Theneck 108 might also be extensible and retractable with respect to thesensor body 100, such that when the plug 110 and neck 108 are installedin a loop female connector 1106 (as in FIG. 1), the neck 108 might bewithdrawn into the sensor body 100 such that the female connector 1106is tightly sandwiched between the plug 110 and the sensor body 100. Asimple way to attain such an arrangement is to provide the neck 108 as athreaded shaft which can be rotated to retract and extend it withrespect to the sensor body 100. As an alternative, the neck 108 could bedefined by a shaft bearing a protruding boss near its end opposite theplug 110, with the boss sliding within a keyway in the sensor body 100as the neck 108 is pushed into a passage within the sensor body 100. Anannular groove might then be defined about the passage at a certaindepth therein, such that when the boss encounters the groove, the shaftcan be rotated to move the boss out of the keyway and into the groove,preventing withdrawal of the shaft/neck 108 until the boss is rotatedback into the keyway. Other retractable neck arrangements will beapparent to an ordinarily skilled designer.

More generally, the connection means need not take the form of a plug110 and neck 108 and/or a female passage 114, and can be any structuresuitable for attaching the sensor body 100 to an elastic member 10, toan anchor (i.e., a relatively immovable structure), or to componentssuch as grasping loops 1000. As an example, looking to FIG. 2, thedepicted male connector 104 or female connector 106 might be replacedwith a strap, cord, chain, or other flexible member which can be tied orotherwise affixed to an anchor or other structure (with the maleconnector section 134 or female connector section 130 bearing a buckle,ring, insertion passage, or other structure for attaching such flexiblemembers). Alternatively, the depicted male connector 104 or femaleconnector 106 might be replaced with a ring, carabiner, hook, clamp, orother structure allowing attachment to an anchor or other structure(either directly or indirectly, for example, via an intermediate elasticmember 10). As an illustration, in FIG. 2, the strap 3000 of the femaleconnector 3106 might be directly mounted to the male connector section134 so that the carabiner 3170 defines the connection means thereon. Thereader is referred to the patents and other publications noted in thisdocument for examples of other forms of connection means that might beused.

It is noted that other components and/or devices need not havecomplementary male and/or female connectors to interface with theexercise device. Other components may have members that are able toenter through the body passage 118 to connect to the exercise device.For example, a cord, rope, chain, flat band, etc., can enter the bodypassage 118 and loop around the socket body 112, socket body sides 116,and/or the male connector section 134 and be tied to itself (via a knot)or otherwise attached to the exercise device. Alternatively oradditionally, one or more rings, hooks, etc. (such as carabiner 3170)can be used to hook onto, for example, one or more socket body sides116. The force sensor 102 would then be able to measure force exertedbetween, for example, a grasping loop and a member so attached. Thisgreatly enhances the versatility, convenience, and usability of theexercise device by allowing it to interact with and engage even moretypes of components and devices.

As another exemplary variation, the grasping loops 1000/2000 of FIG. 2(or other forms of grasping loops) could be joined directly (e.g., bywelding) or indirectly (e.g., via webbing or other connection means) tothe male connector section 134 or the female connector section 130. Theother connector section could then be connected to an elastic member 10,an anchor, or another structure, whereby a user can grasp (or be graspedby) the grasping loop to exert force on the sensor body 100.

The body passage 118 extending between opposite sides of the sensor body100 might have one side blocked by a barrier. For example, the side ofthe exercise device opposite the side with the slot 124 can include awall extending from the sensor body 100 to the inner socket passage end120, and extending between socket body sides 116. This would provide aconfined space via which the socket passage 114 can be accessed by amale connector. Alternatively, the exercise device need not be providedwith a body passage, in which case the sensor body 100 might becontinuous with the socket body 112.

While the foregoing discussion has generally spoken of the use ofgrasping loops 1000 for gripping by a user (or gripping of a user) toact on the sensor body 100, other forms of grips—e.g., a simple bar withan elastic member 10 mounted to its length—can be used instead.

The bearing member 4176 of FIGS. 3 and 5 is not restricted to thedepicted ball-like form, and may take the form of a tongue, hook, or anyother structure capable of impeding the socket passage 4114 and/orpressing against an elastic member 20. Further, the bearing member 4176may move between bearing and non-bearing positions by other than pivotalmotion, e.g., a bearing member 4176 might additionally or alternativelytranslate within the path of the socket passage 4114. Examples ofadditional or alternative bearing members include those found in U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,398,698; 6,663,544; 7,147,592; and 7,316,636.

Finally, while this document has generally discussed the use of elasticmembers in the form of elastic tubes with embedded plugs defining maleconnectors, it should be understood that other forms of elastic memberscan be used instead, e.g., elastic tubes without male connectors (suchas the one in FIG. 5), elastic cords, elastic straps, springs (made of,e.g., steel or other materials), or the like. Where no member maleconnector (such as the member male connector 14 of FIG. 2) is present,these can be used in conjunction with a female connector 106 having abearing member 4176 (as in FIG. 2), or they could simply be insertedthrough a socket passage 114 of a female connector 106 and then tiedabout the female connector 106, or they could be knotted to preventtheir travel through the socket passage 114, to engage them to thesensor body 100. Further, the invention could utilize inelastic membersrather than elastic members—e.g., inelastic cords/cables, chains,straps, and the like—with the inelastic members being installed ingenerally the same manner as the aforementioned elastic members.

Prior patents and other documents noted in the foregoing discussionshould be regarded as incorporated by reference, such that the contentsof these documents also effectively define contents of this document.

The invention is not intended to be limited to the preferred versions ofthe invention described above, but rather is intended to be limited onlyby the claims set out below. Thus, the invention encompasses alldifferent versions that fall literally or equivalently within the scopeof these claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An exercise device including a force sensor, theexercise device comprising: a sensor body having a force sensor, thesensor body having a first connector position and a second connectorposition; a first connector releasably attached to the sensor body atthe first connector position; a second connector releasably attached tothe sensor body at the second connector position; the first connectorand the second connector being releasably attached to segments of theexercise device such that force exerted on one or more of the segmentsof the exercise device exert force on the sensor body; a processorcapable of determining one or more force measurements based on forcedetected by the force sensor; and wherein the sensor body is capable oftransmitting force measurements to a computing device.
 2. The exercisedevice of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first connector or thesecond connector is integral with a segment of the exercise device. 3.The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the first connector and thesecond connector are integral with segments of the exercise device. 4.The exercise device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the segments ofthe exercise device is an elastic member.
 5. The exercise device ofclaim 1, wherein the sensor body is capable of being removed andreattached to segments of at least another device.
 6. The exercisedevice of claim 5, wherein the sensor body is capable of measuring andstoring force measurements from multiple exercise devices.
 7. Theexercise device of claim 1, wherein the sensor body includes memory forstoring data based on force measurements.
 8. A force sensing device foruse with exercise devices, the force sensing device comprising: a forcesensor, wherein force from performing exercises with an exercise deviceis detected by the force sensor; a processor, the processor capable ofdetermining a force measurement based on force detected by the forcesensor; memory for storing data based on force measurements; acommunications module, the communications module capable of translatingdata into a transmittable signal for communication to a computingdevice; and the force sensing device being capable of being releasablyattached to one exercise device and capable of being attached a secondexercise device.
 9. The force sensing device of claim 8, wherein thememory is capable of storing data from multiple exercise devices. 10.The force sensing device of claim 8, wherein the transmittable signal isa wireless transmitter signal.
 11. The force sensing device of claim 8,wherein the computing device is remote from the force sensing device.12. The force sensing device of claim 8 further comprising an outputdevice for providing feedback of force measurements.
 13. The forcesensing device of claim 8 further comprising a display for providingfeedback of force measurements.
 14. The force sensing device of claim 8,where the exercise devices include one or more elastic members.
 15. Amethod for sensing force from performing exercises with an exercisedevice, including the steps of: identifying one or more exercises;identifying one or more exercise devices; providing a force sensingdevice for use with the exercise devices, the force sensing devicecomprising: a force sensor, wherein force from performing exercises withan exercise device is detected by the force sensor; a processor, theprocessor capable of determining a force measurement based on forcedetected by the force sensor; memory for storing data based on forcemeasurements; a communications module, the communications module capableof translating data into a transmittable signal for communication to acomputing device; and the force sensing device being capable of beingreleasably attached to one exercise device and capable of being usedwith a second exercise device; receiving data from the force sensingdevice; and evaluating data from the force sensing device.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, wherein data received from the force sensing deviceis used to identify recommendations for modifications to one of thesteps of the method.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the method isused in connection with physical therapy.
 18. The method of claim 15,wherein the communications module transmits data wirelessly to thecomputing device.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein evaluating datafrom the force sensing device includes displaying data to provide visualfeedback about one or more of the exercises.
 20. The method of claim 15,wherein evaluating data includes analyzing trends from historical data.